Tech Tips on Living Abroad

We celebrated our 2 month anniversary in Thailand on Sunday!  Since then, I've been reflecting on some of the things we've learned in our short time here.  The thing that keeps coming back to me is how useful certain aspects of technology have been for us.

So, for the benefit of those who travel frequently or are considering going abroad, here are some exPat tech tips that I have found invaluable:

1. MagicJack: Everyone always talks about Vonage and how great it is for making Internet phone calls.  I used to be a Vonage customer and also thought it was great.  BUT, being the cheap guy that I am, I decided to go with a lower cost alternative when we were preparing to move to Thailand: MagicJack.  I'm sure glad I did!  It's much more flexible than Vonage and has been invaluable since we arrived in Thailand.  Here are some of the reasons why:
• It comes with free iPhone and iPad apps.  So anywhere I can get Internet on my iPhone or iPad, I can place/receive a free call back to the States.  The quality is great and I use this almost daily.  Even if you don't travel overseas, you could use this for your iPad to turn it into a phone.
• Cost.  The price is unbeatable.  I think I pay $5 / month for unlimited calls to/from the states.
• SoftPhone.There's also an app for your PC that you can use.  I use this nightly when I'm on calls for work.  It turns my PC into a speakerphone and the call quality is better than a land line.
• Easy phone adapter. Like Vonage and other VOIP providers, you can use just the ATA and plug directly into your phone if you want.  I use this part, but not nearly as much as the SoftPhone and iPhone app. 
• Same phone number: We are able to have our old Houston home phone number.  This has been invaluable for financial transactions where the institution wants to call you back on your phone on record.  Again, I can't say how great this has been.
2. Mailboxforwarding: one of the quandaries when moving overseas is how to still maintain a presence in the States for credit cards, banking, services, etc.  Most exPats ask a family member to "borrow" their address and then have the family member scan mail or forward it.  I didn't want to impose on family if possible and was glad I found an online service that does this: Mailboxforwarding.com.  The price is great ($15 / month) and I love that I can view my mail online, forward it anywhere if wanted, and shred it securely.  This has been invaluable several times already.
3. Genius Scan/Genius Fax: having quick access to important documents is a must when you're traveling or live overseas.  You refer to them almost daily.  I can't count the number of times I've had to produce a passport, visa, driver's license, or numerous other paperwork on the fly.  I've done this via an iPhone app called Genius Scan.  I simply take a picture of a document and it securely stores it on my phone as a PDF or image.  I can email it if wanted, or better yet, fax it.  I've had to fax a TON of stuff, so this has been really help.  This app is a must ($1-$2).
4. Mobile banking: another problem with living overseas is how to cash checks in your US bank account that you receive via mail.  Thanks to an online bank that I have, I can cash checks by taking pictures of them now.  It's incredibly easy and convenient.  In fact, if I didn't have this, I have no idea how I'd cash checks in my US accounts.  Couple this with mailboxforwarding, and I can cash a check mailed to me I've never laid hands on.  Awesome.
5. StrongVPN: many countries don't allow access to US online resources (Netflix, some banking, etc).  My brother suggested I get a VPN service before coming here and again, I've found it invaluable.  Several times, I've needed to login to a bank account with a US IP for authentication, have them call me back on my US phone number (queue MagicJack), etc.  We also use it as it fully encrypts and tunnels our online dealings.  $5 / month with a special at StrongVPN.
6. FaceTime/Skype: these are my favorite.  With the advent of quality, mobile, free online face-to-face chat, you can live overseas and still feel very connected with family and friends.  We FaceTime and Skype weekly and feel as connected to family as before we left. 

I'd be interested in any other "must have" technology for those of you who travel frequently or live abroad.  Please share in the comments!